This year I'm turning 60 and wanted to mark the occasion with a bucket list event, but more importantly, my best friend Natalie, who died of bowel cancer in May 2020, would also be turning 60 just a few months later.

We had known each other since we were 5 years old and had been by each other's side ever since. She was always the life of the party and never turned down a good time. The Centre of our girls' group, who held us all together. She was the perfect host, always cooking for everyone and, more importantly, supplying the wine!!

She never made her illness about herself and always downplayed how ill she felt. Still turning up at important events even though she was clearly not well. She fought a hard battle right until the end, still playing the perfect host and having people over to her garden during COVID times and in her final days. She is sorely missed by all her family and wide circle of friends.

If she were still here today and knew I was planning to jump out of a plane, she would tell me I'm crazy before asking if she could join me